Improved eames-fastener



`EDWARD'OAf COOPER, OF LANCASTER, NEW YORK.

Letters'Patent No. 75,864, dated March 24, 1868.

IMPROVBD EAMES-FASTENER.

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CFO-ABL. WHOMl ITr MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. COOPER., of Lancaster, in the county of Erie, and State of New York,

`have inventeda new and improved Haines-Fastener; and I do hereby declare that Athe following is a full and exact descriptionthereof,referenee being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- ,Figure I is a front elevation of myimproved fastener as applied to the haines. Figure IIl is a bottom plan. 4

Figure III is a. section on line Fig. I. Lileletters of reference designate similarlparts in all the figures. My invention consists, first, of two bars, each provided with a hook at one end for attachment to the harnesloops, and one or both provided with rack-teeth, and made movable with reference to a guide-sleeve, supporting a pinion meshing with said teeth, and which, by its revolution, will cause the bars to` move in opposite directions tol bind the haines to the sellar.; second, a ratchet and pawl in combination therewith, to prevent the backward revolution of the pinion after the haines have been clamped.

In the.dr,awings,'A'A represents the lower end of a pair ofvhames; B B, two rack-bars connected at' their outer ends to the haines by hooks lib, whiehengage with the loops in the ends of the former. C is a. box-sleeve forminga way for the said rack-bars, so as to keep them properly engaged with a pinion, d, mounted therein, by which they are drawn together in clamping the haines. On the extended axis'of the pinion, on the front side of the sleeve, is secured a ratchet-wheel, f, with which engages a pawl, g, hinged to the sleeve, to prevent the backward revolution of the pinion, and the unloosening of the fastening. The pawl is kept engaged with the ratehetavheel by a spring, i, and is disengaged by pressing on the thumb-lever z' at its opposite end in releasing the hames. The pinion is revolved bya thumb-piece, u, at the extremity of its shaft.

The operation of my fastener `is as follows: The hames being arranged in place on the collar, the bars B B are extended sulciently to permitithe' easy engagement of their hooks Zw with the loops'at the ends ofthe llames, when, by turning the pinion by means of the thumbpiece n, the ends ofthe hannes are readily drawn together to the required degree, andsecurely retained by the engagement of the pawl with the ratchet-wheel.v The fastening isreleased by simply disengaging the pawl by passing its thumb-levert', which permits the pinion to reverse; again extending the bars'ot the fastener, so as to allow of their easy detachment from the hannes.

YThe bars are prevented from being entirely withdrawn from the sleeve by a small lng, s, at their ends, which stops against the edges of' the sleeve. Ii' preferred, the fastener may be permanently secured to one ot' the haines, so as to remain attached to the harness when removed frompthe animal.

Although I prefer teY form a rack on the inner ends of'both the bars B, yet a slight rack of twice the length will eliect the same purpose, the other bar, in such case, being rigidly fastened in the sleeve.

My improved fastcner,'onstructed as before described, forms a mostreliable device for the purpose intended. It is easily applied, operated, and detached. When the animal is drawing, thepressure of the ratchet against the pawl, in connection with the spring, prevents the possibility oi' its accidental disengagement, with the the spring alone, at other times, suffices to keep it securely engaged. l

What I claim as my invention isn 1. The two hook-bars B B, one or both yprovided with racklteeth, in combination with a guiding-sleeve, C, and operating-pinion, d, substantially as set forth.

'I ,2. The pawl, and ratchet-wheel in combination therewith, operating substantially in the' manner and for the purpose set forth.

' EDWARD A. eoorns.

Witnesses:

' JAY HYATT,

V. H. BECKER. 

